Surface mount connector with integrated power leads

ABSTRACT

A board-to-board connector assembly includes two interengaging plug connector and receptacle connector halves with power and signal terminals integrated therein. Each of the plug and receptacle connector halves include respective dual plug and receptacle housings spaced apart from each other in a substantially parallel relationship. The dual connector housings of the plug and receptacle connector halves are evenly spaced apart by bridging pieces which extend between the connector housings to connect them together. The bridging pieces may either be integrally formed with the connector housings or they may be separately formed from the connector housings and include engagement members which engage the connector housings. The bridging pieces have power terminals disposed therein so that the connector assembly effects a connection not only between signal circuits of the circuit boards, but also between power circuits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, andmore particularly, to an improved surface mount board-to-board connectorhaving power leads integrated with the connector.

Board-to-board connectors for electrically connecting a pair of parallelcircuit boards or members are well known in the art. Theseboard-to-board connectors typically utilize two opposing connectorcomponents mounted to respective opposing surfaces of the circuit boardsand which project away from the circuit board mounting surfaces. One ofthe connector components is a male member and includes a plug member,while the other of the two connector components is a female member andincludes a receptacle. The male plug member fits into the femalereceptacle in order to connect the two circuit boards together.

Board-to-board connectors further include a series of electricalterminals disposed in the two interengaging male and female connectorcomponents which contact each other when the male member is fitted intothe female receptacle. These terminals have tail portions which extendout from the bottom or sides of the connector for subsequent positioningthereof either through holes in the circuit board or for engaging a likenumber of electrical contact pads, or traces, formed on the surfaces ofthe respective circuit boards and are subsequently soldered thereto.This latter mounting method is referred to in the art as surfacemounting.

The contact terminals of surface mount board-to-board connectors extendalong the length of the connectors and thus, the number of circuits thata surface mount connector can accommodate is limited by the length ofthe connector. The trend in modern electronic devices is towardminiaturization. Space on circuit boards used in electronic devices isat a premium, and whenever space is opened up on these circuit boards,the possibility of either decreasing the size of the electronic deviceor adding other circuitry beneficially increase.

Heretofore, the power supplied to the various circuit boards inelectronic devices has been accomplished through separate power leads.These power leads have utilized separate power connectors where twopower leads are held within connector housings and engaged together.These power leads require separate connectors, and hence take upvaluable space on the circuit boards of electronic devices. In thealternative, identical terminals have been utilized for both signal andpower/ground. However, due to the trend towards miniaturization, many ofthese terminals must be utilized in order to achieve the power/groundfunction.

The present invention provides benefits over the prior art practice ofutilizing separate circuitry and power connectors by providing aconnector which has one or more power-connecting portions integratedtherewith, thus permitting the consolidation of power connections into acircuitry connection, and therefore resulting in a beneficial saving ofspace in an electronic device circuitry board. As operating voltages ofelectronic devices drop, such as in computers, the operating currentincreases. The present invention permits the use of high density, closepitch signal terminals with printed circuit boards requiring highcurrent.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to providea new and improved board-to-board connector which incorporates powerterminals in portions of the connector previously unutilized forconnecting purposes.

Another object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedboard-to-board connector assembly having a male connector component anda female connector component, the male connector component having twoelongated connector housing bodies interconnected at opposing ends, thefemale connector component having two elongated connector housing bodiesinterconnected at their opposing ends, the interconnection beingaccomplished by way of interconnecting bridging members which includepower connections formed therein.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide aboard-to-board surface mount connector having male and female dualinterengaging connector housings, the male and female dual connectorhousings being interconnected by transverse spacer members, the spacermembers including at least one power lead extending therefrom and atleast one power receptacle disposed therein, the power lead andreceptacle engaging each other in electrical contact when the male andfemale dual connector housings are interengaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a board-to-board connector whichovercomes the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art and whichoffers an improvement over the prior art by integrating a powerconnector into a circuitry connector, thereby increasing the spaceavailable on circuit boards for either additional circuitry or for areduction in size of the circuit board

In one principal aspect of the present invention and in accordance witha first embodiment of the invention, an improved board-to-boardconnector assembly includes a dual plug housing assembly and a dualreceptacle housing assembly. The plug housing assembly has two maleconnector housings disposed generally parallel to each other and joinedtogether at the opposing ends of the housings by spacers, or bridgingpieces integrally formed with the male connector housings. Thereceptacle housing assembly has two female connector housings disposedin a spaced-apart, parallel relationship and joined together at opposingends by like integral spacer members that maintain the alignment of boththe plug and receptacle housings for mounting purposes and also maintainthe alignment of the terminal tails. One or more power leads aredisposed in one set of the spacer members and include correspondingcontact blades which project therefrom. These contact blade includesolder tail portions extending out from the spacer members and intocontact with power circuitry as a circuit board. A like number of powerreceptacles are disposed in the opposing spacer members and includeblade-engaging contacts, also with solder tails that engage powercircuitry on an opposing circuit board.

In another principal aspect of the present invention and in accordancewith a second embodiment, the improved board-to-board connector assemblyincludes a pair of opposing male and female dual connector assemblies,each of the male and female connector assemblies having two elongatedhousing portions arranged in a spaced-apart, parallel fashion, with eachhousing portion having a plurality of electrical terminals disposedtherein on opposing surfaces thereof. The electrical terminals of themale and female connector assemblies engage each other when theconnector assemblies are interengaged with each housing portion havingengagement members disposed on opposing ends received within recessesformed in separate spacer members having engagement means that engageopposing ends of the housing. The spacer members interconnect thehousings of the male and female connector assemblies together andcontain complementary, interengaging power components such that, uponmating the male and female connectors, the connector assembly not onlyconnects signal circuitry, but also power circuits of the opposingcircuit boards together.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be clearly understood through a consideration of thefollowing detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the course of the following detailed description reference will bemade to the attached drawing wherein like reference numerals identifylike parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a connector assemblyconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionin place upon two opposing circuit boards;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one of the spacer members of oneconnector component of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 taken alonglines 2--2 thereof and illustrating the power contact blade;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another spacer member of the otherconnector component of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 taken alonglines 3--3 thereof and illustrating the power contact blade-engagingreceptacle;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a connectorassembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention wherein the spacer members which carry the power leads areformed separately from the circuitry connector housings and illustratedin place on a circuit board; and,

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the connector assembly of FIG.4 illustrating how the spacer members interengage with their associatedconnector housings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A board-to-board connector assembly constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention is generally designated at 10 inFIG. 1 and, as illustrated, is shown to interconnect a first circuitboard 12 with an opposing, second generally parallel circuit board 14.The two circuit boards 12, 14 may be primary circuit boards for anelectronic device, or they may be modular circuit boards containingincreased performance circuitry.

The connector assembly 10 includes a plurality of electrical terminals,generally indicated at 15, which extend out from two opposing connectorcomponent assemblies 16 and 18 and which provide a means for connectingthe connector component assemblies 16, 18 to a plurality ofcorresponding circuit board contact pads, or traces (not shown) onrespective opposing circuit boards 12, 14 in order to connect thecircuits on one board 12 to their corresponding counterpart circuits onthe other board 14.

One connector component 16 is illustrated as a female connector assemblywhile the other connector component assembly 18 is illustrated as a maleconnector assembly. As is known in the art, portions of the maleconnector assembly 18 are received within portions of the femaleconnector assembly 16 in order to effect a reliable connection betweenthe two connector assemblies 16, 18.

It can be seen that the female connector assembly 16 of the overallconnector 10 of the present invention includes a pair of elongatedfemale housing members 20 having opposing sidewalls 22, 24 and endwalls26, 28 which cooperate to define an interior opening, or receptacle 30.Each housing member 20 preferably includes an interior pedestal 32having generally the same height as the sidewalls 22, 24. (FIGS. 1 & 5.)The pedestal 32, as illustrated, has a generally elongated rectangular,or box-like shape, and is spaced apart from the housing sidewalls 22, 24and endwalls 26, 28 by a predetermined distance to define an interiorchannel, or space 36, that surrounds the pedestal 32 of each femalehousing member 20 and that receives plug portions of their opposingassociated male housings members 60 as is known in the art.

Each female housing member 20 further contains a plurality ofelectrically conductive terminals 38 disposed therewithin and extendingoutwardly therefrom. The terminals 38 include contact portions 40 whichare disposed along the interior surfaces 33 of the pedestal 32 and tailportions 42 which extend outwardly from the female housing member 20.The terminal tail portions 42 penetrate through bases of the femalehousing members 20 and extend outwardly adjacent the bottom or sidesurfaces thereof for engagement with contact traces (not shown) on thecircuit board 14. The terminals 38 preferably are of a high density orclose pitch.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the dual female housing members 20 areinterconnected at their opposite ends by spacer or bridging members 50which extend for approximately the full width of the housings 20 betweenthe outermost sidewalls 22 thereof. The spacer members 50 are preferablyidentical in shape with each other and preferably include mounting posts54 which extend downwardly as shown in FIG. 3 and are received inappropriately sized openings (not shown) formed in the circuit board 14to accurately position the connector assembly 16 on the circuit board.

The spacer members 50 maintain the two female housings 20 in aspaced-apart generally parallel relationship and are formed from thesame material as housings 20 such as a conventional insulative,dielectric material like plastic and preferably a high-temperaturematerial such as liquid crystal polymer (LCP).

In an important aspect of the present invention, the spacer members 50have integrated therewith electrically conductive power terminals,illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 as blade-engaging contacts 52. Locating thepower terminals in the spacer portions of the connector assembly allowsfor the use of high density, close pitch signal terminals with printedcircuit board modules requiring high current. The blade-engagingcontacts 52 are disposed in cavities 53 formed in the body of the spacermembers 50 and include opposing contact portions 55 interconnectedtogether at body portions 56 which terminate in tail portions 57 thatextend through corresponding openings 58 formed in the circuit board 14.The openings 58 are adjacent to power circuit leads 59 formed on thecircuit board and are connected thereto by conventional soldering. Thecontact portions 55 of the blade contacts 52 may be configured to haveparticular engagement surfaces 90 formed thereon which resilientlyengage a mating power terminal 82 of the opposing connector assembly 18to ensure reliable electrical contact.

The blade-engaging contacts 52 may be inserted into the spacer membercavities 53 after molding thereof as is known in the art or they may beinserted into a spacer member mold and the spacer member 50 moldedaround them, also as known in the art. As illustrated in the embodimentof FIGS. 1-3, the spacers 50 may be integrally formed with the housings20 so that the resulting female connector assembly 16 constitutes aunitary structure or, as described below with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6,may be separate members.

In instances where the spacer members 50 are integrally formed with thefemale housing members 20, the endwalls 26, 28 of the receptacles 30abut the spacer members 50 and may be offset as illustrated in FIG. 1 toprovide a polarizing means, shown as notches 19 which receivelike-shaped protrusions 17 from counterpart male housing members 60 inorder to ensure a proper orientation between the circuits of the twocircuit boards 12 and 14.

The male connector assembly 18 includes two elongated male housingmembers 60, each having a pair of protruding plugs, shown as elongatedwall portions 62, 64 interconnected to a pair of endwalls 67, 68 atopposing ends to define an overall rectangular plug associated with eachmale housing member. The endwalls 67, 68 provide reinforcement to therelatively thin plug walls 62, 64 and further define the polarizingmeans as described above.

The protruding wall portions 62, 64 of the male housing members defineplugs that are received with the female housing member receptaclechannels 36. In this regard, each such protruding wall portion 62, 64contains a plurality of spaced-apart cavities 70 formed in the innersurfaces of the projecting walls 62, 64 which receive a like number ofelectrically conductive terminals 74 therein. The terminals 74 includetail portions 75 which extend outwardly from the housings 60 forengagement with contact traces (not shown) of the circuit board 12. Inorder to facilitate insertion and ensure reliable contact between pairsof opposing terminals, the thickness of the protruding walls or plugs isslightly less than the width of the female housing member channels 36 sothat the plug terminals will reliably engage the female housing memberterminals within the receptacle channels 36.

The terminals of both of the housing members are preferably formed froma highly conductive material, such as a phosphor bronze alloy and may begold-,plated. The terminals may be set in the connector housing membersby insert molding, i.e., positioning the terminals within a mold cavityand injecting plastic around them. In this regard, the housing membersmay include openings 71 in their appropriate sidewalls 62, 64 (FIG. 2)by which the terminals 74 may be held in the mold cavity duringmanufacture.

The male housing members 60 also include spacer, or bridging members 80,located proximate to the endwalls 67, 68 of the housings 60. The spacermembers 80 extend for approximately the width of the male connectorassembly 18 (FIG. 6) and, as illustrated in FIG. 2 accommodate one ormore power terminals including contact blades 82. The contact blades 82have solid and wide body portions 83 which are received within cavities84 of the spacer member body portions. Tail portions 85 extend throughthe base of the spacer members 80 as shown and are received withinopenings 86 of the circuit board 12 where they are connected to powercircuits 59 in a customary fashion, such as by soldering. The contactblades 82 preferably have a length (or height) that corresponds to thedepth of the spacer member cavities 53 and is sufficient to project intoreliable engagement with the blade-engaging contacts 52 of the femalecomponent 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the spacer members 50, 80 may be integrallyformed with their corresponding associated circuit connector housings toform two unitary assemblies 16, 18 which interengage each other.However, the spacer members which include the power connectingcomponents may also be separately formed as shown in the assembly 200 ofFIGS. 4 and 5. In FIGS. 4 and 5 , it can be seen that the connectorassembly 200 includes two male or plug connector components 202, each ofwhich contains a plurality of conductive terminals 204 withcorresponding soldering tails 206. The connector components 202 areinterconnected by separate spacer 208 which have engagement means, suchas the T-shaped slots 210 illustrated that receive correspondingT-shaped engagement lugs 212 extending from the endwalls of theconnector components 202. Other than the separate spacer 208, connectorassembly 200 is identical to component 18.

Finally, although the blades 82 of the power contacts are shown withtheir planes generally parallel to the axes of spacer members 80, theycould be rotated 90° so that their planes are generally perpendicular tothe axes of spacer members 80. Of course, the blade engaging contacts 52would also be rotated 90°.

While the particular embodiments of the invention have been describedabove, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the inventionin its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim of the appended claimsis to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A board-to-board connector assembly for interconnecting apair of spaced apart, generally parallel circuit members, the assemblycomprising: interengageable plug connector and receptacle connectorcomponents, the plug connector component including a pair of plugconnector housings extending in a first direction and arranged in aspaced-apart relationship and being interconnected at opposite ends byfirst bridging portions of generally equal length that extend in asecond direction that is different than the first direction, thereceptacle connector component including a pair of receptacle connectorhousings, also extending in said first direction and arranged in aspaced-apart relationship and being interconnected by second bridgingportions of generally equal length that extend in the second direction,said plug and receptacle component housings each including a first setof electrically conductive terminals secured therein, each terminal ofthe first terminal set having a corresponding tail portion forinterconnection to a respective circuit of one of said circuit members,and the first and second bridging portions only including a second setof electrically conductive terminals, the second terminal set includingat least one pair of complementary interengaging power terminals, thepair of power terminals including at least one contact blade extendingfrom one of said first and second bridging portions and at least onecorresponding power terminal receptacle disposed only in another of saidfirst and second bridging portions which opposes said one bridgingportion, the power terminal receptacle including a contactblade-engaging terminal disposed therein, whereby upon mating said plugand receptacle components, said terminal of said plug and receptaclecomponents engage each other and said contact blade and contactblade-engaging terminals engage each other to thereby transmitelectrical power between opposing circuit boards, said first and secondterminal sets being respectively isolated from each other in differentportions of said connector assembly so as to save space on said plug andreceptacle connector housings.
 2. The connector assembly as defined inclaim 1, wherein said first and second bridging portions are integrallyformed with said plug and receptacle connector housings to definerespective unitary, one-piece plug and receptacle connector components.3. The connector assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first andsecond bridging portions are formed separately from said plug andreceptacle connector housings and said first and second bridging piecesinclude means for engaging said plug and receptacle connector housings.4. The connector assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said engagementmeans include notches formed in said first and second bridging portionswhich receive engagement members disposed on said plug and receptacleconnector housings.
 5. The connector assembly as defined in claim 1,further including means for polarizing said plug and receptacleconnector components to ensure said plug connector housings engage saidreceptacle connector housings in a predetermined orientation and so thatsaid power terminals engage each other.
 6. The connector assembly asdefined in claim 5, wherein said polarizing means includes slots formedin at least one of said plug and receptacle connector housings whichreceive posts extending from the other of said two plug and receptacleconnector housings.
 7. The connector assembly as defined in claim 1,wherein said power terminal blade-engaging contact includes a pair ofspring arms interconnected by a body portion.
 8. A board-to-boardconnector assembly for providing an electrical connection betweenelectrical circuits disposed on first and second opposing, spaced-apartcircuit members, the connector assembly comprising:a plug connectorcomponent adapted for mounting to a surface of the first circuit memberand a receptacle connector component adapted for mounting to a surfaceof the second circuit member, the plug connector component being adaptedfor engagement with the receptacle connector component, the plugconnector component including a pair of spaced apart, elongated plugconnector housings extending in a first direction and interconnectedtogether at ends thereof by elongated plug bridging pieces extending ina second direction that is angularly disposed with respect to the firstdirection, the plug bridging pieces spacing the plug connector housingsapart, the elongated plug bridging pieces having a length substantiallyless than the elongated plug connector housing, the receptacle connectorcomponent including a pair of spaced apart, receptacle connectorhousings extending in said first direction and interconnected togetherat ends thereof by elongated receptacle bridging pieces extending insaid second direction and spacing the receptacle connector housingsapart, the elongated receptacle bridging pieces having a lengthsubstantially less than the elongated receptacle connector housing, saidreceptacle connector housings having engagement cavities and a pluralityof receptacle terminals associated therewith, the receptacle terminalsbeing disposed only on said receptacle connector housings within saidengagement cavities and having tail portions extending out from saidreceptacle connector housings, and being adapted to engage circuittraces on the surface of said second circuit member, said plug connectorhousings having a plurality of plug terminals associated therewith thatare disposed only on plug connector housings, said plug connectorhousings further having plug portions protruding therefrom, the plugterminals being disposed along the protruding plug portions and havingtail portions extending out from said plug connector housings and beingadapted to engage circuit traces on the surface of said first circuitmember, one of receptacle and plug bridging pieces having a plurality ofspaced apart, first power terminals that are disposed only on said oneof said plug and receptacle bridging pieces and another of saidreceptacle and plug bridging pieces having a plurality of spaced apart,second power terminals that are disposed only on said another of saidreceptacle and plug bridging pieces, said first and second powerterminals being aligned with each other and disposed only on said oneand another bridging pieces so as to save space on said receptacle andplug connector housings, such that upon mating of said plug andreceptacle connector housings, said first power terminals mate withrespective ones of said second power terminals, said first powerterminals being substantially wider than said plug and receptacleterminals in order to carry a greater amount of current.
 9. Theconnector assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said plug bridgingpieces and said receptacle bridging pieces are respectively integrallyformed with said plug connector housings and said receptacle connectorhousings such that said plug connector housings and bridging piecesconstitute a one-piece plug connector component and said receptacleconnector housings and bridging pieces constitute a one-piece receptacleconnector component.
 10. The connector assembly as defined in claim 8,wherein said plug and receptacle bridging pieces include separate,elongated body portions which include means for engaging respective onesof said plug connector and receptacle connector housings.
 11. Theconnector assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said plug andreceptacle bridging pieces respectively interconnect said plug andreceptacle connector housings together at opposing ends of said plug andreceptacle connector housings.
 12. The connector assembly as defined inclaim 8, wherein said first power terminal includes an elongated contactblade extending from said one bridging piece, the contact blade having abody portion disposed within said one bridging piece, and the contactblade further having a tail portion the contact blade being oriented insaid first direction and said plug terminals being oriented in saidfirst direction.
 13. The connector assembly as defined in claim 12,wherein said first power terminal tail portions and said contact bladesextend in opposite directions from said one bridging piece.
 14. Theconnector assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said another bridgingpiece includes a cavity and said second power terminal includes a springcontact having an engagement portion disposed within said anotherbridging piece cavity.
 15. The connector assembly as defined in claim14, wherein said spring contact further includes a tail portion, thetail portion extending away from said another bridging piece.
 16. Aconnector component for mating with a second, complementary connectorcomponent in order to interconnect a pair of spaced apart, generallyparallel circuit members, the second connector component including apair of elongated, generally parallel second connector housings arrangedin a spaced-apart relationship in a first direction and a pair of spacedapart, elongated second bridging members of generally equal lengthextending in a second direction that is different from the firstdirection, the second bridging members interconnecting said secondconnector housings at opposite ends thereof, said second bridgingmembers having a length substantially less than the second connectorhousings, said second connector housings having a first set ofconductive contacts spaced apart therealong that are adapted to conductelectrical signals therealong, said second bridging members having asecond set of conductive contacts spaced apart therealong that areadapted to conduct electrical power therealong, said connector componentcomprising:a pair of elongated, generally parallel connector housingsarranged in a spaced-apart relationship and extending in a firstdirection, a pair of spaced apart, elongated bridging members ofgenerally equal length extending in a second direction that is offsetfrom said first direction, the bridging members interconnecting saidconnector housings at opposite ends thereof, said bridging membershaving a length substantially less than the connector housings, saidconnector housings having a first set of conductive signal-carryingcontacts spaced apart therealong and adapted for mating with said secondconnector component first set of contacts, said bridging members havinga second set of conductive, power-carrying contacts type spaced aparttherealong and adapted for mating with said second connector contactset, said second contact set being substantially wider than said firstcontact set in order to facilitate carrying a greater amount of current,said first contact set being disposed only on said connector housingsand said second contact set being disposed only on said bridging piecesso as to save space on said connector housings.
 17. The connector asdefined in claim 16, wherein said first type of terminals includessurface mount tails for soldering to circuitry on the surface of one ofsaid circuit members and said second type of terminals includes throughhole solder tails for interconnection to circuitry in holes in one ofsaid circuit members.
 18. The connector as defined in claim 16, whereinsaid bridging members are integrally formed with their respectiveconnector housings to define one-piece connector structures of saidconnector and second component, respectively.
 19. The connector asdefined in claim 16, wherein said bridging members are formed separatelyfrom their respective connector housings and said bridging membersinclude means for engaging their respective connector housings.
 20. Theconnector as defined in claim 19, wherein said engagement means includenotches formed in said bridging members which receive engagement membersdisposed on said connector housings.
 21. A connector component,comprising:a pair of elongated connector housings formed from anelectrically insulative material, the connector housings each having amounting surface for mounting to a circuit member, and a mating surfacefor mating with an opposing connector component, said connector housingseach having a length extending in a first direction; said connectorhousings being spaced apart from each other a preselected distance by apair of elongated bridging members that extend in a second directionthat is offset from said first direction, each of the bridging membershaving a mounting surface for mounting to the circuit member and amating surface for mating with the opposing connector component; aplurality of first electrically conductive terminals disposed only onsaid connector component connector housings and adapted to carryelectrical signals of a first type from said circuit member to saidopposing connector component and vice-versa; and, at least one secondelectrically conductive terminal disposed only on said bridging membersof said connector component so as to save space on said connectorcomponent connector housings, whereby said first and second conductiveterminals are isolated from each other in different portions of saidconnector component.